CHANDIGARH: Blowing hot and cold over the probable fee hike in the coming academic session (2019-20), the authorities at Panjab University have been oscillating between extremes since March to have finally inched towards the golden mean now.

Wednesday morning, millions of TikTok fans woke up to a ban on this real-shot video sharing app in the country. The interactive social media tool that has about 500 million monthly users worldwide, out of which 119 million are estimated to be in India, has been pulled off Google and Apple playstores. The widely popular Chinese giant has been facing the ire for its hyper-sexualized content put up by underage users. The rage to put up videos led to accidental deaths across the nation. Early this week, the Supreme Court refused to stay an earlier order by the Madras High Court to ban the app.

Why is Tiktok popular?

One of the world’s most valuable start-ups, TikTok is an app for creating and sharing short videos. Lip-syncing songs to dance moves, wherein people with limited language proficiency can express themselves, has an edge over other social media apps. Celebs have been using it extensively to connect with their fan base. Right from Varun Dhawan to Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani, Shraddha Kapoor, Badshah, Shahid Kapoor and Yami Gautam, Bollywood A-listers have been on the TikTok.

Why ban TikTok?

Like any social media rage, in the craze to make videos and win likes and comments, youngsters have been putting caution to wind.

There was a death in Punjab as a user got crushed under tractor in January.

One student while making a video died as the scooter he was riding with his friends rammed into a bus this February in Tamil Nadu.

A teen accidentally shot his friend while making a video with a pistol in Delhi last weekend.

Sleazy content

Easy to make, post and share videos, this app came under scanner for circulating sleazy content. Sexual innuendos over lyrics of explicit songs by rather young users were one of the major objections to it.

Celeb speak

Wastage of time

I am glad the app is banned. I have seen so many youngsters leaving aside what needs to be done to make and see useless, senseless videos on TikTok. Preet Harpal

Wider reach

It was fun doing a few TikToks. It has wider reach, it sure helped me promote a song from one of my films. However, I also heard some people lost their lives while doing dangerous stunts. If the reason for the ban is to avoid deaths, then it sure is justified. Mandy Takhar

Impose guidelines

Why only TikTok? Where pornography is concerned, there are so many other apps that also have such content. Instead of the ban, they should warn the app to be strict with their guidelines. Rehaan Roy

Keep children away

I strongly think kids and teenagers should have supervised internet access and should be made to indulge more in outdoor activities to promote holistic growth. Adults should use applications sensibly and set an example for the younger generation, not just with TikTok but any mobile application. Ira Sone

Serious threat

I see people making videos while driving cars and doing crazy things which can be dangerous. It is an addiction and if it’s encouraging pornography making children vulnerable to sexual predators, then that’s a very serious matter. I totally support the ban. Sahil Anand

Building fan base

The popular joke goes that one half of the population is making videos and another half watching it on TikTok. Being in the film industry, it helps build a fan base reaching out on social media, I too have done that. While I have come across some meaningful content on recycling and up-cycling, it’s largely sleazy bit on it which is repulsive. Aman Kotish

Make it age restricted

Social media is fast turning into an addiction. There are people who are addicted to Facebook and Instagram as well. On TikTok, people do make objectionable videos but there are options to report or block. I feel that the application should be age restricted. Getting it banned won’t help. Today TikTok is banned, tomorrow another similar kind of application might come, then what? - Aniruddh Dave

Practice caution

Of whatever I have seen of Tiktok is people making dance videos, having fun. If you take any social media platform, it has both pros and cons. So, its left to individual judgement, banning is no solution. Shivin Narang

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CHANDIGARH: Blowing hot and cold over the probable fee hike in the coming academic session (2019-20), the authorities at Panjab University have been oscillating between extremes since March to have finally inched towards the golden mean now.